Surgical tool stabilizing devices for trocar assemblies

Abstract

A trocar assembly includes a trocar housing defining a working chamber, a cannula extending from the trocar housing, and a tool stabilizing device arranged within at least one of the working chamber and the cannula. The tool stabilizing device includes an annular body and a plurality of radial adjustment leaves extending radially inward from the annular body and cooperatively forming an adjustable iris.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A trocar assembly, comprising:
 a trocar housing defining a working chamber; 
 a cannula extending from the trocar housing; and 
 a tool stabilizing device arranged within at least one of the working chamber and the cannula, the tool stabilizing device including an annular body and a plurality of radial adjustment leaves extending radially inward from the annular body and cooperatively forming an adjustable iris, 
 wherein each of the plurality of radial adjustment leaves is coupled to the annular body by a corresponding stem that provides a compliant biasing force that helps each of the plurality of radial adjustment leaves center and stabilize a surgical, tool and 
 wherein each of the plurality of radial adjustment leaves is movable only at the connection between the corresponding stem and the annular body and independent of other radial adjustment leaves of the plurality of radial adjustment leaves. 
 
     
     
       2. The trocar assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tool stabilizing device is arranged within the working chamber and received within an annular groove defined in the working chamber. 
     
     
       3. The trocar assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the corresponding stems is made of a flexible material that allows a diameter of the iris to increase as the surgical tool extends through the tool stabilizing device and engages the plurality of radial adjustment leaves. 
     
     
       4. The trocar assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the iris is adjustable to accommodate varying sizes of the surgical tool. 
     
     
       5. The trocar assembly of  claim 4 , further comprising a lubricious material coated on the plurality of radial adjustment leaves to mitigate drag against an outer surface of the surgical tool. 
     
     
       6. The trocar assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of radial adjustment leaves are made of a lubricious material to mitigate drag against an outer surface of the surgical tool. 
     
     
       7. The trocar assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a seal cartridge positionable within the working chamber, wherein the tool stabilizing device is positioned within the seal cartridge. 
     
     
       8. The trocar assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tool stabilizing device is positioned within the cannula. 
     
     
       9. The trocar assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the corresponding stem of each of the plurality of radial adjustment leaves flexes to provide the compliant biasing force. 
     
     
       10. The trocar assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the annular body is immovably secured with the at least one of the working chamber and the cannula. 
     
     
       11. The trocar assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a seal cartridge positionable within the working chamber, wherein the tool stabilizing device is positioned distal to the seal cartridge. 
     
     
       12. A method of using a trocar assembly, comprising:
 introducing a surgical tool into a working chamber defined by a trocar housing, wherein a cannula extends from the trocar housing; 
 extending the surgical tool through a tool stabilizing device arranged within at least one of the working chamber and the cannula, the tool stabilizing device including an annular body and a plurality of radial adjustment leaves extending radially inward from the annular body and cooperatively forming an adjustable iris, wherein each of the plurality of radial adjustment leaves is coupled to the annular body by a corresponding stem, and wherein each of the plurality of radial adjustment leaves is movable only at the connection between the corresponding stem and the annular body and independent of other radial adjustment leaves of the plurality of radial adjustment leaves; 
 providing a compliant biasing force with the corresponding stem of each of the plurality of radial adjustment leaves and thereby urging the plurality of radial adjustment leaves against the surgical tool; and 
 stabilizing and centering the surgical tool with the plurality of radial adjustment leaves as the surgical tool extends through the iris. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the stabilizing and centering the surgical tool further comprises increasing a diameter of the iris from a relaxed state to accommodate the surgical tool. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 removing the surgical tool from the tool stabilizing device; and 
 allowing the iris to transition back to the relaxed state. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising mitigating drag against an outer surface of the surgical tool with a lubricious material coated on the plurality of radial adjustment leaves. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the introducing the surgical tool into the working chamber is preceded by positioning the tool stabilizing device within the working chamber and within an annular groove defined in the working chamber. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the introducing the surgical tool into the working chamber is preceded by positioning a seal cartridge within the working chamber, wherein the tool stabilizing device is positioned within the seal cartridge. 
     
     
       18. A tool stabilizing device, comprising:
 an annular body; and 
 a plurality of radial adjustment leaves extending radially inward from the annular body and cooperatively forming an iris, 
 wherein each of the plurality of radial adjustment leaves is coupled to the annular body by a corresponding stem that provides a compliant biasing force that helps each of the plurality of radial adjustment leaves center and stabilize a surgical tool, 
 wherein each of the plurality of radial adjustment leaves is movable only at the connection between the corresponding stem and the annular body and independent of other radial adjustment leaves of the plurality of radial adjustment leaves, and 
 wherein a diameter of the iris is dynamically adjustable to accommodate varying sizes of the surgical tool passing through the iris. 
 
     
     
       19. The trocar assembly of  claim 18 , wherein each of the corresponding stems is made of a flexible material that allows the diameter of the iris to increase as the surgical tool extends through the tool stabilizing device and engages the plurality of radial adjustment leaves. 
     
     
       20. The trocar assembly of  claim 18 , further comprising a lubricious material coated on the plurality of radial adjustment leaves to mitigate drag against an outer surface of the surgical tool.